The Basics

Score: Evangel 81, McPherson 83

Location: Springfield, Mo. (Ashcroft Center)

Records: Evangel (4-4, 3-1); McPherson (7-2, 2-2)

Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Valor Men's Basketball returned home on Saturday (Dec. 2) afternoon, taking on a tough McPherson squad who had already claimed six wins in the early stages of the season. Despite leading for the majority of the game, the Valor offense grew cold, failing to record a field goal make in the final 6:05 of the game, as they fell to the Bulldogs, 81-83, after McPherson scored with just six seconds remaining in the game.

Stephen Salvi kicked the game off early with a basket in the first three seconds of the game, giving the Valor a 2-0 lead. Both Evangel and McPherson traded baskets until McPherson took a two point lead, 12-14, with 13:42 remaining in the first half. This would be McPherson's final lead until the final moments of the game as the Valor went on a 10-3 run to take a 22-17 lead over the Bulldogs. Carson Cavalier hit three three pointers for the Valor in a span of two minutes, helping the Valor maintain their lead. The Bulldogs would come within a single point of Evangel, 25-24, but baskets by Josh Pritchett, Logan Rodgers, and Josh Mason would re-extend the Valor lead. A tough jumper by Salvi to end the first half put EU ahead, 43-37, heading into the halftime break.

McPherson began to warm up from the field late in the second half, hitting five threes in the final six minutes of the game to help shift momentum and build a comeback. Throughout the second half, Evangel was able to hold steady to a 10-point lead over McPherson. A basket by Garrett Davault with 6:05 remaining gave EU a 76-66 lead, but this would be the final field goal the Valor would make in the game. Manrique Alvarado and Stephen Salvi would both record free throw makes for Evangel in the last five minutes. After tying the game at 81-81, McPherson used their final possession to wind the clock down. With just three seconds remaining on the shot clock, McPherson shot a tough, contested jumper at the free throw line that sunk, giving the Bulldogs an 83-81 lead. After a timeout and with just six seconds on the clock, Evangel would have one final chance at a game winner, but Alvarado's three would fall short of the mark, as EU fell, 81-83.

QUOTABLE 

"It's tough being up nearly the whole game and losing it at the end the way we did. I give McPherson credit, they played hard the entire game and found a way to win at the end," head coach Bert Capel stated. "We have to find a way to get better moving forward." 

NOTABLE 

• Josh Pritchett scored 16 points to lead Evangel in the loss on Saturday.

• Manrique Alvarado (13 pts.), Garrett Davault (13 pts.), and Jace Coffie (11 pts.) rounded out double digit scoring on Saturday.

• McPherson outrebounded Evangel on Saturday, 40-32.

• Pritchett led the Valor with six assists.

• McPherson doubled Evangel's three point makes, hitting 12 to Evangel's six, as EU did not score a single triple in the second half. 

NEXT UP 

Evangel will compete in their final home game of 2023 on Wednesday (Dec. 6) evening when they host the Avila Eagles at 7:30 p.m. in the Ashcroft Center.

For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play.